Shoe rack



Feb. 4; 1930.

W. F. ATWOOD SHOE RACK Filed Sept. 6. 192

2 Sheets-Sheet l Pk/ENTER:

Patented Feb. 4, 1935 fpTTES wmrrmor F. A'rwooD, or WHITMAN, MASSACHUSETTS SHOE RACK Application filed September 6, 1927. Serial No. 217,595.

The present invention relates to a rack for holding boots and shoes during the process of their manufacture. I 1

l The shoe rack commonly made comprises 5 an open frame having corner posts with con- ,7 necting side and end bars. In this frame the shoes are supported in rows or tiers one above r the other. The immediate support for the shoes usually comprises pins in thenature A of dowels or other slender supporting strips or pieces fixed to the frame and on which the shoes rest and-are separated from one another.

. Some of the racks provide forboth a heel support and a toe support for the shoe. This 1 is desirable though it usuallyadds complex to the structure and tothe parts on which wear maycome. I I

I The general object of the'present invention is to overcome and correct various difficul- 1 ties which have been found incident to the use of a shoe rack and among which'may be mentioned the following :lack of such strength and rigidity in the frame structure as will enable it to withstand the rough usage 7 i 125 to which it is necessarily subjected. In this connection it is my object to strengthen and fortify the frame by parts which otherwise function in the support of the shoes or are incidental to suchsupport. Another and more vital difliculty which has been found in shoe racks hithert'olmade has been in fastening the pins or other slender shoe supporting 7 members to the frame in such manner that they will not loosen and in such manner also as will permit of the easy replaceability of a pin or piece in case of breakage. This difliculty it is "my especial object to overcome and as-will later be explained it is overcome s f by providing .pins which are properly retained but which are not-fastened to the frame and are retained in such manner that anyone or more pins in case of breakage can easily be replaced. H I still further object of the invention is to provideashoe rack in which there are supports for both the heel and toe portions of the shoe of a very simple structure and to which wearing parts maybe applied capable of replacement'as occasion may require.

" V The invention can .bestbe seen and underbars.

stood by reference to the drawings, such portion of the rack only being shown as is necessary fora proper understanding of the invention.

' In the drawings p i ig. 1 is a plan of a portion of a shoe rack embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and v Fig, 4 is a sectional detail view of the connection between the bars and the uprights.

Referring to the drawings, the frame of the rack comprises corner posts 1 with conn'ecting side and end bars 2 and 3 respectively. 6

These bars are severally secured to the corner posts by tenons t on the ends of the bars which fit within mortices formed in the posts and are fixed by pins 5 driven into the posts and throughthe contained tenons.

6 is a transverse bar interposed between the end bars 3 and rigidly fixed to them. The fixing of this transverse bar to the end bars is obtained bytenons 8 on the ends of the transverse bar. which fit within mortices in 7 the respective end bars and are retained by screws 9 driven into the end bars and through the respective tenons.

The transverse bar runs lengthwise the frame parallel with the side bars and forms practically a partof the frame.

. The transverse bar 6 is offset with relation to the longitudinal centre of the rack, being considerably removedfrom one of the side The removal of the transverse bar from this side bar is sufficient to leave ample space for receiving the shoes, or at least the heel portionof the shoes, for it is between the transverse bar and the side bar with which it is-cooperating that the supports are arranged whichv receiveand support the heel portions of the shoes in separated relationship toone another. In order that the transverse bar may properly co-operate with the side bar in the retention of the supports arranged between them, the two bars are not only parallelly arranged but preferably arranged, also, in the same horizontal plane.

10 represents the shoe retainingsupports arranged between the transverse bar and the side bar with which it is co-operating. The supports 10 consist of small pins preferably made rounded. The pins are grouped or spaced from one another in manner best fitted to take advantage of the area between the bars whereby the heel portion of each shoe inverted may rest upon adjacent pins with the upper portion of the shoe extending downwardly between the pins.

The pins are arranged to extend between the transverse bar and the bar with which it is co-operating by the extension of pins through holes or sockets 11 bored through the transverse bar, the pins thence extending across the space between the two bars with the outer. end of the pin fitting within holes or sockets 12 bored in the side bar. When thus positioned the inner ends of the pins will lie within the holes 11 bored'in the transverse bar fitting preferably rather loosely therein so as to permit of the pin turning. The outer ends of the pins fitting within the holes 12 in the side bars likewise preferably fit rather loosely therein to permit of the pin turning. The outer ends of the pins have bearing against the side bars at the bottoms of the holes 12 in which the ends are socketed so that the side bars prevent. outward endwise displacement of the pins. The pins are of such length that when their outer ends are bearing against the side bar at the bottom ofthe holes 12 therein, the inner ends of the pins will lie just flush with the outer side face of the transverse bar.

With thepins thus arranged and proportioned as to length the pins are retained and held against inward endwise displacement by means of a locking-in bar 13. This bar is arranged between the end bars 3 of the frame and lies within theplane of the respective pins with hearing against the inner ends of the pins preventing their inward displacement when the lockingin bar is in place. The locking-in bar is retained by the extension of its opposite ends 14 into mortices cut through the respective end bars, the ends of the locking-in bar being thus held fixedly in place by means of screws 15 driven into the end bars and-through the respective ends of the locking-in bar, thereby securely holding it in place but permitting of its easy removal on removing the screws. locking-in bar all the pins to which the bar is common are held locked in place but the easy removal for replacementof any one or more pins is provided for by simply releasing the locking in bar from the end bars when new pins may be inserted and the locking-in bar afterwards returned to position. The locking-in bar is preferably a bar amply wide to fill the space between the trans- "verse bar and the side bar 2 of the frameto which it is adjacent thereby providing in this space a shelf on which shoes may be l placed as may be desired.

By means of the The locking-in bar by reason of its location, size and strength and the manner in which it is fixed to the frame, materially assists in giving added strength to the. entire frame.

With the heel portions of the shoes supported by the pins arranged between the transverse barand the side bar of the frame with which the transverse bar is co-operating,

the toe portion or vamp of the shoes will extend upwardly over the transverse bar. For

supporting the toe portion or vamp of the shoes thus projecting a covered elongated support 16 common to all is provided preferably in the nature of a rod or bar made rounding. This rod with its covering, which covermg forms the immediate rest for the toe portions of the shoes and to which covering reference will later be made, is supported and held rigidly in place by resting within a substantially half round socket 17 formed within the transverse bar-6 .over which the rod is extended. The ends of'the rod 16 are retained by extending into holes or mortices 18 bored through the end bars, the ends of the rod fitting rather loosely therein. The rod is then held in place against endwise displacement by screws 19 driven into the end bars and through the holes 18 at points just beyond theends of the rod. I

Considering the manner in which the shoesupporting pins 10 and rod 16 are arranged v and retained, a replaceable covering of some wear-resisting material may easily be applied to them. This covering takes the form of wear-resisting material or composition. A tube made of rubber composition has been found most excellent in practice. The tubes are slipped over the pins 10 tolie between the transverse bar and the side bar with which it is co-operatingwhen the pins are applied to these bars, the ends of the coverings being held against endwise displacement by the respective bars against which the ends" of the covering having bearing. For the rod 16 the covering is applied before this rod is applied to the end bars of the frame, the} covering then being held against endwise dis placement by the end bars and lying in part within the socket 17 formed in the top or the transverse bar, which socket is made sufficiently large to receive substantially the lower one half part of therod with covering; 7

The fit of the covering on the rod 16 within sible eitherzby, loosely mounting the covering on the pin or by loosely mounting the pin itself, as previously explained, so that both it and the covering may turnor both pin and covering may be independently rotatable. In

100 tubes 20 made preferably of any suitable e the case of the covering 20 applied to the rod 16 this also is capable of turning or of being turned to ensure even Wear.

While it is necessary'for preventing entrance of dirt that the covering fit snugly within its socket 17in thetop of the transverse bar, yet it may thus fit therein by gravity instead of being fixedly held therein, owing to the fact that the ends of'the rod 16 fit loosely within the holes 18 in the end bars as previously explained. Ac-

cordingly the covering is capable of being covering itself may be loosely mounted on the rod or both rod and covering may be in dependently, rotatable. In either case the covering is susceptible of being lifted out of the socket in which it normally fits for the purpose of turning as occasion may require to ensure even wear thereof.

to all.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 7 of the United States:

1. A shoe rack comprising an open frame having corner posts, end bars, and connecting spaced bars running lengthwise the frame, thespaced bars having sockets formed therein respectively, the sockets in one of said spaced bars extending through it, spaced shoe supporting members interposed between the spaced bars with the ends thereof contained within the respective sockets therein when the supporting members are in place and which supporting members are removable by endwise withdrawal through that one of the spaced bars having the sockets therein'extending through it as aforesaid, and releasable means for keeping the said shoe supporting members in place.

2;"A shoe rack comprising an open frame having corner posts, end bars, and connecting spaced bars running lengthwise the frame, the spaced bars having sockets formed therein respectively, the sockets in one of said spaced bars extending through it, spaced shoe supporting members interposed between the spaced bars with the ends thereof con- 7 tained within the respective sockets therein when the supporting members are in place,

and which supporting members are remova- I ble by endwise withdrawal through that one of the spaced bars having'the sockets therein extending, through it as aforesaid, and removable means common to a plurallty of said shoe supporting members arranged adjacent theends thereof for keeping said members in place.

V 3. A shoe rack comprising an open frame having corner posts, end bars,and connecting spaced bars running lengthwise the frame, the spaced bars having sockets formed therein respectively, the sockets in one of said spaced'bars extending through'it, spaced shoe supporting members interposed between the spaced bars with the ends thereof contained within the respective sockets therein when the supporting members are in place and which supporting members are removable by endwlse withdrawal through that one of the spaced bars having the sockets therein extending through it as aforesaid, and a releasable looking-in bar arranged adjacent the ends of said shoe supporting members whereby they may have bearing against said locking-in bar and be retained thereby against endwise movement.

4; A shoe rack comprising an open frame with corner posts and connecting side bars and end bars, an inside transverse bar connected to the end'bars and spaced from the side bars,the transverse bar and one ofthe side bars having sockets formed therein respectively, the sockets in the transverse bar extending through it, spaced shoe supporting members interposed between the transverse bar and said one of the side bars with the ends thereof contained within the respective sockets therein when the supporting members are in place and removable by endwise withdrawal through the transverse bar, and a locking-in bar arranged beyond the outer face of the transverse bar adjacent the ends of said shoe supporting members whereby the shoe supporting members will be retained thereby against endwise displacement, and means for releasably securing the locking-in bar to the end bars of the frame.

5. A shoe rack comprising an open frame including end bars and a transverse bar, said transverse bar having a socket extending longitudinally along the top side'thereof, a tubular-member between the end bars with extension along the socket in the top of the transverse bar and seated in part therein, and

means mounted on the end bars with extension inside the tubular member for holding it in place when seated as aforesaid.

6. A shoe rackcomprising an open frame including end bars and a transverse bar, said transverse bar having a socket extending longitudinally along the top side thereof, a tubular member between the end bars with extension along the socket in the top of the transverse bar and seated in part therein, and means seated within the end bars with extension inside said tubular member for holding it in place when seated as aforesaid and permitting of its being turned within the socket in which it is contained.

transverse bar and seated in part therein, and r '7. Ashoe rack comprising an open frame including end bars and a transverse bar, saidtransverse bar having a socket extending longitudinally along the top side thereof, a tubular member between the end bars with extension along the socket in the top of the a rod mounted on the end bars with extension through said tubular member for holding it in place and permitting of the lifting thereof out of the socket in the transverse bar in which it is contained for the purpose of turning. I

8. A shoe rack comprising an open frame including end bars and a transverse bar, said transverse bar having a socket extending longitudinally along the top side thereof, a tubular member between the end bars with extension along the socket in the top of the transverse bar and seated in part therein, and a rod extending through said tubular member with ends of the rod loosely socketed in the end bars to permit of the elevation of the rod and the lifting of said tubular member out of the socket in the transverse bar in which it is contained for the purpose of turning.

WINTI-IROP F. ATWOOD. 

